Train Like the Pros

You'll see Tony Gonzalez and Chad Johnson on SportsCenter this fall, catching TD passes and leading their teams. Their off-season secret: Rigorous training -- in a different sport. Use their cross-training tricks to elevate your favorite game, too

Oct 6, 2010

Tony Gonzalez

Tight End, Kansas City Chiefs

Part-time Hoops junkie

Tony Gonzalez's greatest offensive performance came in the 1997 NCAA Basketball Tournament, not in an NFL game. A two-sport athlete at the University of California at Berkeley, Gonzalez came off the bench to score 23 points against Villanova, leading his team to an upset victory and into the Sweet 16. NBA scouts took note, impressed by Gonzalez's physicality and sound fundamentals. (He made 64 percent of his shots as a freshman.)

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But Gonzalez, now a Kansas City Chief and future hall of fame tight end, knew better. "Except for Charles Barkley, you don't see successful 6'5", 275-pound NBA forwards," he says. "My future was in football."

Even so, Gonzalez's love of roundball proves invaluable to his gridiron game. "When I play basketball, I'm practicing the offensive skills I need in the NFL -- especially footwork and agility -- but without the impact on my body," he says. That's why Gonzalez continues to play serious hoops every off-season, from weekly pickup games to games in semipro summer leagues. He's even had a stint with the Miami Heat.

"I'm a junkie for the game of basketball, especially the camaraderie and the physical challenge," says Gonzalez. "And after I've perfected one-on-one moves on a constricted court, there's no way a defender can guard me one-on-one on a football field."

Gonzalez's Best Basketball Tips

Employ the Hip Check

To dominate on the glass, place your backside or elbow firmly against your opponent's hip as soon as the ball hits the rim. You'll be able to rebound and score easy put-back points. "It's simple and fundamental, but effective," says Gonzalez. "I do the same thing in football to gain space from my defender."

Stay in Motion

Break to the basket after every pass you throw. Don't get the ball? Immediately switch to an "L" cut. Here's how: Once you're under the goal, lock your defender behind you with a hip check (above). Then run to the free-throw line. As soon as your foot touches the line, break horizontally toward the closest wing, your body facing the ball. You'll be wide open to receive a pass. From there...

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Practice to Deceive

"A good head fake is the most important but least used move in pickup basketball," says Gonzalez. Try his most effective move: Pump the ball as if you're about to shoot. Then, as you bring the ball back down, throw a strong head fake to the left, and drive right. The first move gets your defender in the air, and the second gets him moving in the wrong direction, leaving you an open path to the hoop.

Chad Johnson

Wide Receiver, Cincinnati Bengals

Part-time Soccer nut

"I call it 'acting a fool,' " says Chad Johnson, describing his touchdown dances and flair for the dramatic. "And it all began when I was a 4-year-old soccer player."

Johnson, the Cincinnati Bengals' all-world wide receiver, was raised in a Miami household that lacked the funds for peewee football registration. So he played soccer instead. As an offensive-minded forward with speed to burn, he was a perfect fit for a sport that celebrates the individual.

"All I wanted to do was shake defenders," says Johnson. "It's the same mentality I have as a wide receiver, using skill, flash, and tricks to embarrass opponents."

When he entered high school, Johnson was forced to choose between soccer and football, as the seasons overlapped. He made the decision with his head, not his heart. "Soccer is the most challenging game I've ever played, but it couldn't have generated the income I earn today."

Still, you'll always find a checkered ball in Johnson's NFL locker. "I pull it out before games and during practices to improve my foot speed and transitional skills," he says. "My teammates respect it. They know I'm working to better myself and not just playing a game."

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Johnson's Soccer Secrets

Aim High and Tight

In a recent study, Hong Kong researchers found that goalkeepers rarely stand in the center of the goal. They favor one side, hoping to bait the oppo-sition into kicking toward the open side, which in turn enables them to anticipate the shot. Eliminate this advantage by aiming your shots at the corner above the goalkeeper's head. "Top corner shots can't be stopped. It's the best way to score a goal," Johnson says. A soccer ball's sweet spot: bottom right (if you're right-foot dominant). Strike it with the top of your big toe.

Keep Your Feet Moving

Johnson uses a classic soccer drill to increase his speed on the football field. Here's how to do it: Place a soccer ball a foot in front of you. Jumping quickly, alternate touching your big toes on top of the ball, without kicking it forward. Do this for 40 seconds, rest for 60 seconds, and repeat twice more.

Give Your Workout a Kick

Here's why you should buy a soccer ball: "The faster I can run while controlling the ball, the more agile I'll be while not kicking one," says Johnson. That's because soccer conditions your feet to switch smoothly between sprints and cuts. "It's all about making your lower body move in different ways," he says. For a great conditioning and sports workout, trade your 30-minute jog for 10 minutes of intermittent sprints while dribbling a soccer ball. Simply sprint with the ball for 20 seconds, rest for 60 seconds, and repeat seven times.

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